AlphaStation is the name given to a series of computer workstations, produced from 1994 onwards by Digital Equipment Corporation, and later by Compaq and HP. As the name suggests, the AlphaStations were based on the DEC Alpha 64-bit microprocessor. Supported operating systems for AlphaStations comprise Tru64 UNIX (formerly Digital UNIX), OpenVMS and Windows NT (with AlphaBIOS ARC firmware). Most of these workstations can also run various versions of Linux and BSD operating systems.
 Rack-mounted AlphaStation | |
| Developer | DEC (1994-1998) Compaq (1998-2002) HP (2002-2007) |
|---|---|
| Type | Workstation |
| Release date | 1994 |
| Discontinued | 2007 |
| CPU | DEC Alpha |
Other Alpha workstations produced by DEC include the DEC 2000 AXP (DECpc AXP 150), the DEC 3000 AXP, the Digital Personal Workstation a-series and au-series (codename Miata), the Multia VX40/41/42 and the Alpha XL/Alpha XLT line (a member of the Alcor family, which had swappable daughterboard with Pentium processor, to transform to a DEC Celebris XL line).
Models
editFrom the XP900 onwards, all AlphaStation models were simply workstation configurations of the corresponding AlphaServer model.
Avanti family
edit| Model | Code name | # of CPUs |
CPU | CPU MHz |
B-cache | Chipset | Memory | Expansion | Enclosure | Introduced | Discontinued |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 200 4/100 | Mustang | 1 | 21064 (EV4) |
100 | 512 KB | 21071 | 8 to 384 MB | 1 PCI 1 or 2 PCI/ISA 1 ISA |
Desktop | 1995-02-23 | ? |
| 200 4/166 | 166 | 1994-11-03[1] | ? | ||||||||
| 200 4/233 | Mustang+ | 21064A (EV45) | 233 | ? | |||||||
| 205 4/xxx | LX3 | 1 | 21064A (EV45) |
133 to 333 | ? | ? | ? | ? | Desktop | ? | ? |
| 250 4/266 | M3 | 1 | 21064A (EV45) |
266 | 2 MB | 21072 | 32 to 512 MB | 1 PCI 1 PCI/ISA 1 ISA |
Desktop | 1995-04-03 | ? |
| 255/233 | LX3+ | 1 | 21064A (EV45) |
233 | 1 MB | 21072 | 32 to 512 MB | 2 PCI 1 PCI/ISA 1 ISA |
Desktop | 1996-03-06 | ? |
| 255/300 | 300 | ? | |||||||||
| 400 4/166 | Chinet | 1 | 21064 (EV4) |
166 | 512 KB | 21071 | 8 to 384 MB | 2 PCI 1 PCI/ISA 3 ISA |
Tower | 1995-02-23 | ? |
| 400 4/233 | Avanti | 21064A (EV45) |
233 | 1994-11-03[1] | ? | ||||||
| 400 4/266 | 266 | ? | ? | ||||||||
| 400 4/300 | 300 | ? | ? |
Alcor Family
edit| Model | Code name | # of CPUs |
CPU | CPU MHz |
B-cache | Chipset | Memory | Expansion | Enclosure | Introduced | Discontinued |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500/266 | Maverick | 1 | 21164 (EV5) |
266 | 2 MB | 21171 | 32 to 512 MB | 1 33 MHz PCI-X 3 PCI |
Desktop | 1996-03-06 | ? |
| 500/333 | 333 | ? | |||||||||
| 500/400 | Bret | 21164A (EV56) |
400 | 21172 | 32 MB to 1 GB | ? | |||||
| 500/500 | 500 | 8 MB | 1996-08-06[2] | ? | |||||||
| 600 5/266 | Alcor | 1 | 21164 (EV5) |
266 | 2 or 4 MB | 21171 | 32 MB to 1 GB | 3 33 MHz PCI-X 1 PCI 1 PCI/EISA 3 EISA |
Pedestal | 1995-08-02 | ? |
| 600 5/300 | 300 | ? | |||||||||
| 600 5/333 | 333 | 4 MB | ? | ? |
Noritake and Rawhide Family
edit| Model | Code name | # of CPUs |
CPU | CPU MHz |
B-cache | Chipset | Memory | Expansion | Enclosure | Introduced | Discontinued |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noritake Family | |||||||||||
| 600A 5/500 | Alcor-Primo | 1 | 21164A (EV56) |
500 | 8 MB | ? | 32 MB to 1 GB | 7 PCI 2 EISA |
Pedestal | ? | ? |
| Rawhide Family | |||||||||||
| 12001 | DaVinci | Up to 2 | 21164A (EV56) |
400 | 4 MB | ? | 512 MB to 4 GB | 5 PCI 1 PCI/ISA |
Pedestal | ? | ? |
| 533 | ? | ? | ? | ||||||||
Tsunami Family
edit| Model | Code name | # of CPUs |
CPU | CPU MHz |
B-cache | Chipset | Memory | Expansion | Enclosure | Introduced | Discontinued |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DS10 VS10 TS10 XP900 |
WebBrick | 1 | 21264 (EV6) |
466 | 2 MB | 21272 | 256 MB to 2 GB 100 MHz SDRAM |
3 PCI-X 1 PCI |
Desktop | ? | ? |
| 21264A (EV67) |
600 | ? | ? | ||||||||
| DS20E | Goldrack | 1, 2 | 21264A (EV67) |
667 | 8 MB (DDR) |
21272 | 512 MB to 4 GB | 5 PCI-X 1 PCI-X/ISA |
Tower | ? | ? |
| 21264B (EV68AL) |
833 | ? | ? | ||||||||
| ES40 | Clipper | 1, 2, 3, 4 | 21264A (EV67) |
667 | 8 MB (DDR) |
21272 | 512 MB to 32 GB 100 MHz SDRAM |
6 or 10 PCI-X | Pedestal | ? | ? |
| 21264B (EV68AL) |
833 | ? | ? | ||||||||
| XP1000 | Monet | 1 | 21264 (EV6) |
500 | 4 MB | 21272 | 256 MB to 2 GB | 2 PCI-X 2 PCI 1 PCI/ISA |
Tower | 1999-02-01[3] | ? |
| Brisbane | 21264A (EV67) |
667 | ? | ? |
Titan and Marvel Family
edit| Model | Code name | # of CPUs |
CPU | CPU MHz |
B-cache | Chipset | Memory | Expansion | Enclosure | Introduced | Discontinued |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titan Family | |||||||||||
| DS15A | HyperBrick II | 1 | 21264C (EV68CB) |
1000 | 2 MB | ? | 512 MB to 4 GB 133 MHz SDRAM |
4 33 MHz PCI-X 2 66 MHz PCI-X |
Desktop | ? | ? |
| DS25 | Granite | 1, 2 | 21264C (EV68CB) |
1000 | 8 MB (DDR) |
? | 512 MB to 16 GB | 4 66 MHz PCI-X 2 33 MHz PCI-X |
Tower | ? | ? |
| Marvel Family | |||||||||||
| ES47 | Marvel 2P | 22 | 21364 (EV7) |
1000 | 1.75 MB | On-die | 512 MB to 16 GB RDRAM |
1 2× AGP 1 133 MHz PCI-X 4 66 MHz PCI-X |
Tower | ? | ? |
^1 A variant of the AlphaStation 1200 was also sold as the Digital Ultimate Workstation 533au².
^2 Some systems had one of the microprocessors deactivated, which may be reactivated with a license upgrade.
References
edit- ^ a b "Digital's Alpha Salvo Scores Direct Hit; Eight-System Lineup Blankets Competition.". Business Wire, 3 November 1994.
- ^ "Digital recaptures desktop workstation performance lead; New AlphaStation 500/500 outdistances HP, Sun, and SGI.". Business Wire, Tuesday, 6 August 1996
- ^ Compaq Computer Corporation. Compaq Delivers World's Fastest Workstation: The AlphaPowered Professional Workstation XP1000. Press Release.